Clin Should Elbow.  2023 Mar;26(1):55-63. 10.5397/cise.2022.01347.

Internet search analytics for shoulder arthroplasty: what questions are patients asking?

• McCormick JR
• Kruchten MC
• Mehta N
• Damodar D
• Horner NS
• Carey KD
• Nicholson GP
• Verma NN
• Garrigues GE

• KMID: 2540284
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5397/cise.2022.01347

Abstract

Background
Common questions about shoulder arthroplasty (SA) searched online by patients and the quality of this content are unknown. The purpose of this study is to uncover questions SA patients search online and determine types and quality of webpages encountered.
Methods
The “People also ask” section of Google Search was queried to return 900 questions and associated webpages for general, anatomic, and reverse SA. Questions and webpages were categorized using the Rothwell classification of questions and assessed for quality using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria.
Results
According to Rothwell classification, the composition of questions was fact (54.0%), value (24.7%), and policy (21.3%). The most common webpage categories were medical practice (24.6%), academic (23.2%), and medical information sites (14.4%). Journal articles represented 8.9% of results. The average JAMA score for all webpages was 1.69. Journals had the highest average JAMA score (3.91), while medical practice sites had the lowest (0.89). The most common question was, “How long does it take to recover from shoulder replacement?”
Conclusions
The most common questions SA patients ask online involve specific postoperative activities and the timeline of recovery. Most information is from low-quality, non-peer-reviewed websites, highlighting the need for improvement in online resources. By understanding the questions patients are asking online, surgeons can tailor preoperative education to common patient concerns and improve postoperative outcomes.

Keyword

Shoulder arthroplasty; Online search; Patient search; Search engine; Google